Summer Solstice Canal Ride!

The Summer Solstice Ride is of unknown origin but I do remember Brad the Dentist hosting it as far back as the late 1990's.  It was then a Wednesday Canal ride rather than today's Tuesday start day but has always been held on whichever Canal ride fell closest to June 21.  The route usually was flatish towards Amanda before heading southeast via Clearcreek Road to Revenge and then up that famous climb over to the prison and down Christmas Rock and a fairly hilly return.  Now that the route is in the hands of Psycho Sadist Routemaker Ryan, the route finished with a climb up Slough, before finishing the 53 miles back behind Shades Restaurant.

Flying Tuna said she was going to arrive a little early and so, with the heat and kind of not feeling too motivated these days, I pounced on an opportunity to maybe ride at a very slightly easier pace and hook up with Cindy.  I arrived at the parking lot at 5:00 and Tuna was already on her bike, looking very anxious to leave. Fortunately, no one else was that early and by 5:20, a group consisting of Pastor Mark, Cindy, Dennis, Kevin H, Randy D, Kenda Dave, Kenda Janet, Kenda Rick, Kenda John? and 1-2 others rolled out, way ahead of The Boss and whichever heavy hitters would come out to start at 6:00.  Various other riders left between us and them and two, Eve H and Steve, left before us.  Probably 60 cyclists participated in what is the premier event on the evening ride calendar.

Pastor Mark, fresh off his assault on Pittsburg ride, seemed content to pull us all the way to Amanda and we all were content to draft along at what was an easier pace.  At one point however, Kenda Dave dropped into his aero bars and powered away and naturally that compels others to try to catch.  During the chase I tried to organize a group expulsion for Dave because, A--there is an unwritten rule that aero bars are not to be used during group rides, B--he was riding harder than I wanted and C--he was wearing a white jersey and only sissies wear white jerseys, making a rare exception for Steve O who only wears white for fashion reasons.  I quickly brought the motion to a vote and by throwing my voice, just as quickly got several "Ayes".  Dennis sprang from the group and I jumped on his tail, only too happy to deliver the news to Dave that he had been expelled. Dennis bridged the gap and I gave the verdict but Dave defended himself with several extenuating circumstance pleas and we allowed him to continue with us. Eventually we cruised into Amanda and took a break. 

On the pleasant ride down, there had been speculation about how quickly Craig's group would catch us, with most guessing shortly after the Christmas Rock downhill. quite a feat considering we had left 40 minutes early. After only a few minutes at the Amanda gas station, Kenda Dave was anxious to get going because of a side bet he had with the other Kenda cyclists over who would arrive at the top of Revenge first so noticing he was preparing to leave, Dennis and I hooked up with him and left everyone else.  We rode at a nice pace to the foot of Revenge where Dave, satisfied none of the Kenda folks would now overtake him, slid off so as to enjoy the many switchbacks and steep ramps up Revenge.  I too had hoped for a reasonable pace but that damn Dennis attacked!  What to do, what to do? Hot, tired, sweaty and desirous of not riding hard, but he was throwing down the gauntlet. We had a battle royale, certainly what would have reminded observers of Pantani v Armstrong or Armstrong v Ullrich or something similar.  At the top we waited on Dave and noticed a vast prison population was out in the yard.  Soon Dave rode by and we coasted down Christmas Rock and then turning onto Stoney Hill, Dennis attacked again, and again and all the way into Canal, even up and over Slough.  The guy was feeling his oats and wanted to hurt me but the upside was our pace setting had kept us ahead of Boss' group.  About 100 yards from the Canal sign I said, "Well, we made it ahead of the Boss" and no sooner had I uttered the words, Craig cruised beside us, having dropped everyone as far back as the top of Revenge.  Get this, he had already run 6 miles earlier in the day and yet still can come out and ride at a 21.3mph pace over 53 miles, 2800' of climbing and no one can stay with him.  Unreal. Dennis and my pace was quite a bit slower, 18.8mph average but I forgot to turn off the computer at a stop so maybe our pace was a littl.  Many people retired to Shades for a cold drink.